Hose-bridge



(No Model.)

C. J. P. HEIM.

HOSE BRIDGE.

Patented May 28, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES '.I. P. HEIM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

HOSE-BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,279, dated May 28, 1889. Application filed December 18, 1888. Serial No. 293,970. (No model.) A

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, CHARLES J. P. HEIM, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hose-Bridges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to 'the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement on the hose-bridge for which Letters Patent No. 386,008 were granted to me July 10, ISSS.

The present invention relates to certain details of construction, specifically set forth in the claims.

The device is shown and will be described as supported onV three pairs of legs, the legs of each pair being hinged together at top. In some cases the middle pair of legs maybe dispensed with. Where, however, the span is great or the hose heavy, the central support is always advantageous and in some cases may be necessary.

Figure I is a perspective view of the device. The other figures, except Fig. XVII, are views of details. Fig. II is a View of one of the forked heads in which the hose is laid. Fig. III is a section 'at III III, Fig. IV, showing the manner of coupling the bridge-bar to the middle support. Fig. IV is a section at IV IV, Fig. III. Fig. V is a perspective View showing the means for coupling one end of the cross-bar to the leg; and Fig. VI is a View of similar character, showing the manner of connecting the other end of the cross-bar to the other leg of the pair. Fig. VII is a perspective view showing the manner of -connecting the upper end of the brace-rod with the cross-bar. Fig. VIII is a horizontal section showing in top view the attachments of the tie-rods to the legs and brace-rod. Fig. IX is a side view of one of the clips by which a tie-rod is connected to a leg. Fig. X is a perspective View showing the manner of attaching one end of the cross-bar to one of the middle pair of legs. Fig.XI is a perspective View showing the joint of -this cross-bar. Fig. XII is a perspective view showing the manner of attaching the other end of the crossbar to its leg. Fig. XIII is a perspective view showing the junction of the parts of the telescoped cross-bar and the means of attaching the brace-rod to this cross-bar.

Fig. Xiv is a horizontal section showing the tie-rod attachment to the legs and brace-rod at one end of the device. Fig. XV is a perspective view showing a modification of the device shown in Fig. VI. Fig. XVI is aperspective view of one of the U-nuts by which the arch is connected to the forked heads. Fig. XVII is a perspective view of a fork for use in lifting the hose into position.

The legs of the end pairs are shown at 1. The central parts, 2, of each leg 1 is bowed outward and the parts above an d below part 2 are bowed inward, the upper part being marked 3 and the lower part et. (See Fig. I.) This form of legs is advantageous as imparting flexibility under a strain endwise of the leg. The width of span is increased by the outward inclination of the lower end, 5, of the legs, and this form causes the legs to be forced apart in entering the ground, thus tightening the jaws upon the hose. I prefer to make the legs l of round steel tubing and to make the legs G of the central pair of square steel tubing, and the latter legs to be straight to clearly distinguish them from the legs of the end pairs for convenience in setting up the apparatus, which is almost always done in haste and often at night-time.

The upper ends of the legs are secured in the jaws '7, composing the head. These jaws are hinged together by a pintle, 8, passing through lugs 9, which lugs are so formed as to make an elevation, 10, which is between the two lines of hose which the head is intended to support. The-horns l1 are adapted to support the outer sides of the hose, while the elevation lO keeps the hose-pipes separated and forms, together with the horns, a double seat .for the two lines of hose. I prefer to screw the legs into the sockets 12 of the jaws 7, and then to pass a transverse pin, 13, through the socket and the leg, but do not confine myself to this manner of attachment. (See Fig. II.)

11i is a U -formed nut, which is screwed upon the end 15 of the pintleto give means for the attachment of the bridge rod or tube 18, the nut having lugs 16, between which the iiattened end 19 of the bridge 1S is inserted, and secured by a pintle, 17, passing through the lugs and the end 19. (See Figs. I, II, III, IV, and XVI.) l

It will be seen that the legs are hinged to- IOO gether and to the bridge 18. The outward movement of the legs from each other is lim ited by the form of the lugs i), or by the resistance of the hose. The end I() of the bridge has an angular corner, 20, which impinges against the part 21 of the nut 1I as the legs attain their proper standing position, so that while the end legs may be folded inward against the bridge they are limited in their outward movement upon the hinge. (See Figs. I and XVI.) In the case of the middle pair of legs, G, they are capable oil folding' against the bridge i8 in one direction, and for this purpose the shoulder 2O is dispensed with at that side, while it is retained at the other side. (See Figs. III and IV.)

At 22 are shown a number of collars on the bridge formed like the heads with horns 1l and central projections, l0, for the support of the hose. These collars are held in place by set-screws.

23 is a cross-bar, which extends t rom one to another of the legs l. This is shown tubular, with its ends 2t Iiattened. One of the ends has a hole, 25, for the passage of a screw-stu d, 2o, projecting from the leg l..

27 is a thumb-nut by which the end is, held on the stud. Upon the other leg l of the pair is a collar, 28, which is fixed to the leg in any suitable manner. The construction et this collar is similar to that shown for a similar purpose in my former patent, No. 386,008. It is, however, inverted from the position shown in that patent. The collar has a hook, 29, which engages the end 230 of the cross-bar.

is a thumb-screw which works in the hook and whose point enters anyone of a number ol' depressions, 32, in the end of the bar, thus giving means for lengthening or shortening the cross-bar and locking the end fast in the hook.

533 is a lip upon the collar, which prevents the end 30 from falling out of the hook when the end is forced toward the leg l by the pressure of the thumb-screw. (Sec Figs. I and VI.)

is a brace-rod extending from the crossbar to the ground. This brace-rod is connected to the crosswbar by a strap, S35, which is carried around the cross-bar, and secured to the brace-rod by a thuml'isscrew, 3G. (See Figs. I and VII.) The brace-rod is connected to the legs l by tie-rods S7.

is a screw passing through the brace-rod and having lugs 3S), which embrace the ends i0 ot' the tie-rods.

il is a screw passing through the lugs and the reds to hold them together. (See Figs. I and VIII.) One of the tie-rods ends in jaws 4-2, which are adapted to engage a leg, 1.

-if is a clamping collar or ring, which slips on the jaws Lt2 and presses them upon the leg to make a iirm attachment. The other tierod has in one end a longitudinal slot, dei, through which passes a screw-bolt, 45, with thumb-nut i7. rIhis bolt also passes through holes in jaws 1l-G, which are shaped io engage securely the leg l when the nut 47 is screwed home. (See Figs. I, VIII, and IX.) It willV be seen that this latter-described way ot attachment gives means tor changing the length ot the tie-rod, so as to throw the lower end of the brace-rod to one side or the other, and thus the foot ott-he brace-rod may be adjusted to suit the condition of the ground. The crossbar 23 at the other end el' the apparatus is connected to both legs by a hin ge-j oint, 2G 27, similar to that before described in connection with one end ot' the other cross-bar, and to give means for lengthening and shortening the crosswbar the parts are telescoped together, the part 48 being made to slide wit-hin the other part oit the bar and being held to its ad,- justment by a setserew, 40. (See Figs. I, V, and XIII.) The bracerod 3-1 is connected to the cross-bar by a strap, 35, as before described. The connection. between the brace-rod and the tie-rods 37 by means of a screw-bolt, 50, passing through the brace-rod and through holes in the tie-rods. The tie-rods in this case have such connection with the legs I thattheir length is capable of considerable adjustment. This connection consists in a thumb-screw, 5l which screws in the leg and notches 52 in the edge of the tie-rod, by which the tie-rod engages on the screw. The screw may then be screwed home to tix the tie-rod Iirmly on the leg. Then the apparatus is :folded together for putting away or for movement from place to place, the free ends of the tica-ods may be turned upto the ln'ace-rod and engaged on thumb-screws 53, turning in the brace-rod.

Owing to the condition of the street, it is at times required that the toot of a brace-rod shall be placed eonsiderabl y out of its normal position,and for this reason I arrange the tierods with the notches 52 at one end of the apparatus to allow such adjustment of that end, the construction in other respects being neither so strong, compact, or convenient as that described in respect to the tie-rods at the other end of the apparatus, as shown in Fig. VIII.

The cross-bar 23 ofthe central or middle pai r of legs, 6, is connected to the leg at one end by a joint, 26 27, as before described, (see Figs. I and X,) while the other end is connected to its leg by a strap, 5i, through whose end passes a screw-stud, 55, projecting from the leg (i and fitted with a thumb-nut, by which the strap may be made tight upon the bar. (See Figs. I and XII.) This cross-bar is hinged at the middle on a thu1nb-screw or pintle, 5o, one member of the bar being flattened at 57 and the other member having a mortise or recess, 58, to receive it, the thumb-screw 5G passing through them. The flattened part has an an gular shoulder at 5U, which comes ,in contact with the end 'of the mortise when the bar is straight and prevents the sagging of the bar below a straight line. (See Figs. I and XI.) Iiy turning the tluunb-screw home the joint is made still. ing of the cross-bar allows the two legs 6 to IOO IIO

IIS

It will be seen that the joint be laid together without disconnection of theends of the cross-bar from the legs.

I prefer to make the outer pairs of legs, l,

to stand about twelve feet high, and the midthere will not be an abrupt bend at the outer bearings of the hose over the legs 1. Now, it will be seen that some provision must be made to prevent the bridge turning on the heads. For this purpose cleats GO project from the face of one of the jaws 7 at one end of the bridge-section, and from the jaw upon the opposite side at the other end of the section, against these cleats, bear the square sides of the nuts 14, to which the ends of the bridgesections are hinged, so as to prevent the turning of the nuts, and consequently prevent the turning of the bridge-sections. It will be seen that the nut 14 cannot be turned in putting the pintle S in place, owing to the bearing of the cleat upon the side of the nut, so the pintle itself is turned. For this reason some special provision must be made for the introduction of the pintle 8 in the case of the head upon the central legs, 6, as the bridgesections are secured to both ends of this pintle. A collar, G1, having the same form as the nut 14, is fitted on one end of this pintle 8, and is held thereon by a pin, 62, passing through the collar and the pintle. This collar has the lugs 1G, similar to those of the nuts 14, and for aA similar porpose.

In Fig. XV is shown a modification of the device shown in Fig. VI, for the adjustable attachment of one end of the cross-bar 23 to one of the legs 1. In this modification the hook-collar has neither thumb-screw 31 nor lip 33, and in their place I provide a link, 63, through which the cross-bar 23 passes. The link 63 engages over a stud, G4, projecting from the collar, and has a thumb-screw, 65, bearing on the stud, and a thumb-screw, G6, bearing against the cross-bar, thescrew 65 to draw the cross-bar tightly up in the hook, and the screw GG to secure the cross-bar tight in the link.

The fork for lifting the hose into position is shown in Fig. XYII. No .novelty is claimed for this fork.

I claim herein as new an d of my inventionl. In a hose-bridge, supporting-legs secured at top in cast-metal jaws hinged together and having a double seat for two lines of hose, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of supporting-legs, jaws 7, attached to the tops of the legs and connected by a pintle, 8, and bridge 18, hinged to the pintle and having the shoulder 20, adapted to abut aga-inst the latter, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The jaws 7, having hinge-lugs 9, connected by pintle-supporting legs attached to the jaws, the upward projection 10, and horns 11, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, in a hose-bridge, of jaws secured to the top of supporting-legs and adapted to support and grasp the hose, and cross-bar 23, forming extensible connection between the legs, substantially as set forth.

5. The hose-bridge having a bridge-bar, 1S, supported on three pairs of lags with hinged heads composed of jaws 7, the middle head being' at a higher level than the heads at the ends of the bridge.

G. The combination, in a hose-bridge support, of the legs 1, secured to hinged jaws 7 and having adjustable connection by crossbar 23, the brace-rod 34, connected to the crossbar, and tie-rods 37, connecting the brace-rod with the legs, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a hose-bridge, of a middle pair of supporting-legs, G, and end pair of supporting-legs, l, made, respectively, of round and square material to distinguish them from each other, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

S. The combination, in a hose-bridge, of supporting-legs having a cross-bar with adj ustable connection with the legs, a brace-rod having adjustable connection with the cross-bar, and tie-rods connecting the brace-rods with the legs and having means of extension, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, in a hose-bridge, of the pairs of supporting-legs l at the ends of said bridge, having extensible cross-bars 23 and brace-rods 34 hinged to the cross-bars and adapted to rest on the ground.

10. The combination, in a hose-bridge, of jaws secured to the top of supporting-legs and adapted to support thehose, the crossbars 23, extending between said legs, collars on said legs, hooks on said collars for receiving the ends of said cross-bars, and screws in said hooks adapted to impinge said bars, as and for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination, in a hose-bridge, of a pair of supporting-legs, l, secured to the jaws 7 at top, cross-bar 23, connecting the legs, brace-'rod 34, extending from the cross-bar to the ground, and tie-rods 37, one of which has adjustable connection with its leg, for the purpose set forth.

12. The combination, in a hose-bridge, of

ICO

ITO

the supporting pairs of legs l at each end, having cross-bars 23 between the legs, brace-rods extending from the cross-bars to the ground and adjustable, the cross-bars and tie-rods extending from the brace-rods to the legs, said tie-rods at one end having notches 52, and thumb-screws 51 on the legs, adapted to engage in said notches, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. The supporting-legs of a hose-bridge bowed between the ends .and having` their lower ends inclined outward, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

14. The combination, with the legs 1. of a hose-bridge, of cross-bar 23, brace-rod 31, tie-rods 37, connected to the brace-rod by pi11tle-bolt 50, and thumb-Screws 53 in the brace-rod to engage the tie-rods, as set forth.

15. The combination, with the legs 6 of :t hose-bridge, of the cross-ber 23, hinged to the legs and having it rule-jont, 57 5S 59, and thumb-screw V50, for tightening said joint, substantially as set forth.

1G. In 2L hose-bridge, the coupling between the bridge 1S and head 7, consisting of :t pintle, S, a nut, 14, screwing on the pintle and having lugs 16, and :L pintle, 1 7, passing through the lugs and the ends of the bridge.

17. The coupling-nut 11, adapted to screw upon the pintle S and hnvng lugs 16, substfultinilly as and for the purpose set forth.

1S. The combination of the two lengths of bridge 18, the head between the same, the coupling-pintle 8, the nut 14- on one end of the pintle, and the collar (il on the other end of the pintle, serving, respectively, to couple to the pintle the two lengths of the bridge 18, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

19. The hinge connection between the bridge-section 1S and head of the supportinglegs, consisting of n nut, 14, with lugs 16, and pintle 17, the Het end of the bridge adapted to fit between the lugs nud having n shoulder, 20, sul'lstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

CHAS, J. P. HEIM.

ln presence of- SAML. KNIGHT, EDW. KNIGHT. 

